Waqf Act runs against the whole scheme of Indian Constitution: Asaduddin Owaisi

Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha last week after marathon debates in both Houses of Parliament, is against the Constitution and Muslims.

In an interview with THE WEEK, which will be published in the April 20 edition of the magazine, the MP, who has been strongly opposing the bill saying the Centre is trying to take away the rights of Muslims using Parliament majority, said the passing of the bill “runs against the whole scheme of the Constitution, not just a single provision.”

 

The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it. In the Lok Sabha, it was passed with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.

Owaisi, who along with Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, challenged the validity of the bill in the Supreme Court, claimed in the interview that the Waqf Act does not incorporate the reforms suggested by the experts and the Muslim community.

“Auqaf (plural of waqf) administration was neglected since independence. There was no uniform law, and in many states, waqf boards were not even constituted,” the AIMIM chief told THE WEEK.

He claimed that encroachments, often by government bodies have severely impacted the auqaf, yet no action has been taken to protect or restore these assets. “So, if there were concerns about transparency, you should have empowered officers to evict encroachers and then use the recovered property for the benefit of the community,” the Hyderabad MP added.

Grab a copy of the April 20 edition of THE WEEK magazine for more.

India